West End legend Ruthie Henshall on what she makes of Gemma Collins taking on iconic role in Chicago

She's one of the best known names in musical theatre and excitement is mounting as West End and Broadway icon Ruthie Henshall heads to Manchester to take on a gripping role at the Hope Mill Theatre. The Olivier Award winner, who has appeared in some of the biggest shows of all time including Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Oliver, Crazy For You, Chicago and Billy Elliot, will lead a reimagining of Stephen Sondheim's multi-award-winning Passion - a tale of love, sex and obsession.

The 55-year-old actress and singer will play Fosca, a woman prone to severe melancholy and mania, in one of her all-time favourite musicals which comes to the Manchester Factory of Creativity' for a run of 37 performances from Thursday May 5. Based on Ettore Scola’s Italian film, Passion d’Amore, the production tells the tale of a young soldier, Giorgio, who is obsessively pursued by Fosca the relation of his superior officer.

Passion take a thought-provoking look at the lengths people go to for desire. And it will be revitalised with modern staging and production at the Ancoats-based Hope Mill Theatre, which opened in 2015 as the dream of married couple Joseph Houston and William Whelton, inspired by the Off-West End Theatres and small producing venues dominating the London theatre scene.

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Speaking to us ahead of rehearsals starting tomorrow (Monday April 11) Ruthie said: "I think that's when the fear will set in. But I'm very, very excited. It's a beautiful piece and the Hope Mill Theatre is the perfect venue."

Ruthie says there are a 'handful of brilliant female roles' for an older woman, and the complex and unrelenting Fosca is one